Extraction: The method by which CBD oil is processed from hemp plants can be very telling. Some manufacturers extract and process the oil using toxic materials like propane or butane; in most cases, these oils are cheaply priced. Safer extraction and processing agents include ethanol, which cleans the hemp plant of unwanted toxins; and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, which strips harmful materials from the plant by changing the carbon dioxide’s temperature and pressure settings.
Given CBD’s reputation as a popular, artisanal remedy, one would think that Epidiolex would command a lot of “off label” attention. After all, physicians often prescribe pharmaceuticals off label to treat conditions that were not the actual focus of clinical trials. But the costly price tag for Epidiolex (more than $30,000 annually) precludes off label prescribing as well as affordable access for tens of millions of Americans without health insurance.
There are very few known adverse side effects of CBD. According to this study, CBD is “a major non-psychotropic constituent of cannabis, has multiple pharmacological actions, including anxiolytic, antipsychotic, antiemetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. But if you are looking for a high from CBD, you will not get that because CBD has no psychoactive effects. Do speak with your physician if you are concerned about drug interactions.
Cannabidiol, or CBD for short, is a natural phyto-cannabinoid (or plant-based chemical compound) found in cannabis plants, including hemp and marijuana. Unlike other cannabinoids — namely tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — CBD does not produce any psychoactive effects, and will actually counteract these effects to a degree. CBD will induce feelings of sleepiness; for this reason, it can be an effective soporific for people who struggle to fall and/or remain asleep due to insomnia and other sleep disorders.
Transparency: Moon Mother sends each batch of product to a third-party lab to be tested for potency as well as other contaminants. You can find all of these lab reports on the company’s website. They also added more information about their company processes to the website, so it’s easier to find important information about extraction and manufacturing.
Green Gorilla marks itself out by simply blending its flagship line of CBD oils with organically produced extra virgin olive oil – and nothing else. And, as the company states, there’s a benefit to this beyond assuring the product’s purity. In particular, olive oil “has synergistic effects in combination with CBD,” and according to Green Gorilla’s website, it’s “also able to deliver the CBD to the parts of [the] body that need it most.” The products are certainly affordable, too: its 150 mg pure CBD oil comes in at $25.99, for instance, making it a smart choice for new users. And anyone still uncertain about the potential effects of Green Gorilla’s products may have their questions answered by the convenient “science” section of the manufacturer’s website, which neatly explains the difference between THC – the cannabinoid that makes people “high” – and CBD.
This is a confusing one for many people. "A lot of brands don't do a good job of clearly instructing their consumer on the dosing," says Chris Roth, CEO and co-founder of Highline Wellness. When thinking about dosing, also consider whether your CBD is full-spectrum or isolate: Full-spectrum could include other cannabinoids like cannabidivarin or cannabigerol (this is important, since "there's something called the 'entourage effect' when all together, they're more effective than any one of them alone," Roth explains), while isolate is 100% CBD. "Some people might only need 10 milligrams of full-spectrum CBD, but with isolate, even taking 80 or 100 milligrams might not have the same effect," he says.
Secondly, all products are NOT created equal – they differ significantly in strength, absorption, and elimination by the body and in the manner in which they are formulated. One should be mindful of the differences in doses available for each of these products, starting at a low or moderate dose and increasing as needed in order to find the lowest dose that provides the desired relief. In this way, one can individualize usage to maximize effectiveness while minimizing risk – a proper goal for the use of all medicinals.
Customer Service: We’ve always received fast, informative responses to our queries about products and practices, but there are definitely customers out there who have not. A quick perusal of reviews shows customers who had issues with unaddressed orders. It’s hard to know exactly what the problem is in these situations, but the company’s strict return policy (seven days for unopened products only) probably doesn’t help. It should be noted that the company has a solid base of very satisfied customers as well.
CBD oil is prohibited for sale by terms of service on the major online marketplaces, including Amazon, eBay, and Groupon. Most of the products sold as CBD oil on those websites are hemp seed oil and don’t contain any CBD. We’ve also heard many reports of counterfeit and potentially dangerous products being sold as CBD oil on those websites. Your safest option is to always buy directly from the CBD company’s official website.
The average person sleeps around 480 minutes each day, that is unless you are one of the 70 million Americans who suffer from one of several sleep disorders. With so many Americans suffering from sleep problems and low sleep quality, it’s not surprising that many sleepers are turning to the sedating effects of CBD to get a good-nights sleep. When suffering from insomnia, your first thought may be to purchase an over-the-counter supplement such as melatonin from your local pharmacy, but let us explain why CBD may be a better choice for your sleep aid needs.
Vaporizers – Many state-licensed cannabis dispensaries offer high CBD strains of cannabis flower. This allows for reduced risk of paranoia while allowing for a high medicinal dose of CBD. Vaporizers are used to heat up the flower and remove the properties or compounds of the plant that you are looking for without combustion or smoking. Vaporizers use convection much like a convection oven. CLICK HERE to see our favorite vaporizer.